Tag Archives: test

Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm 1:1.8 Test

The new Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm 1:1.8 lens. Photographed attached to the Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera. January 28, 2014. Photo: Edmond Terakopian*Please forgive the particles of sand on the equipment!!*

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 has fast become one of my favourite cameras. One of my favourite focal lengths, especially for street photography and environmental portraits is 50mm and I felt that the Olympus m4/3 lens lineup was missing this. I was delighted to find though that this lens was going to be announced soon and Olympus UK kindly lent me the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 25mm f1.8 lens to shoot my Los Angeles trip with. I’ve therefore been shooting with this lens since the 5th of January, for creating real pictures. Those who are familiar with my tests know that I don’t do the scientific breakdown or photograph brick walls; I take equipment on real assignments and shoots.

For those not familiar with the m4/3 (Micro Four Thirds) system, the 25mm lens gives an equivalent of 50mm at a relatively fast aperture of f1.8. Married with the astonishingly great 5-axis stabiliser in the E-M1, this means that hand held extreme low light photography is very possible. At f1.8 one also gets lovely separation of subject from the background. I shot with the lens solidly whilst on a trip to Los Angeles and day in, day out, it performed perfectly.

Very fast (and silent) to focus, pin sharp, accurate colour and tonal rendition and great element coating, meaning that shooting into the sun is not a problem. Being part of the M.Zuiko Premium range means it’s extremely well built. As you can see from the product photography, it’s also tiny and only weighs 137g. With two Aspherical elements and a close focusing distance of only 0.25cm, it has fast become my standard lens on my E-M1. I won’t hesitate in recommending this lens; it’s fast, crisp, small and extremely capable.

Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank is a burger restaurant where every Friday night, classic car enthusiasts gather to show off their classic restored cars and hotrods. Los Angeles, California, USA. January 17, 2014. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank is a burger restaurant where every Friday night, classic car enthusiasts gather to show off their classic restored cars and hotrods. Los Angeles, California, USA. January 17, 2014. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank is a burger restaurant where every Friday night, classic car enthusiasts gather to show off their classic restored cars and hotrods. Los Angeles, California, USA. January 17, 2014. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

The Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown of Los Angeles, California, is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Centre and was designed by Frank Gehry. January 17, 2014. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

The new Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm 1:1.8 lens. Photographed next to the 45mm lens for size comparison. January 28, 2014. Photo: Edmond Terakopian*Please forgive the particles of sand on the equipment!!*

The new Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 25mm 1:1.8 lens. January 28, 2014. Photo: Edmond Terakopian*Please forgive the particles of sand on the equipment!!*

Hands On With The Canon 1DX

I’m fortunate to have had two opportunities to try out the new Canon EOS 1DX in private (thanks to Canon Europe for organising this) during the Pro Photo Solutions show earlier this week.

I need to firstly make it clear that as this was a pre-production camera, I wasn’t allowed to use my own CF cards for evaluating the images or video (which is fair enough as by the time the camera is released in March 2012, the firmware will have gone through several changes).

What I did get to do was try the camera fully, for both stills and video (checking results on the rear LCD screen), check out the completely redesigned menu system and chat at length with the extremely knowledgeable Graham Smith and Mike Burnhill from Canon.

I must say that I’m very impressed with this flagship camera. It carries on the 1D line and is a rugged workhorse of a machine which has been designed to be even more durable than it’s previous versions (I once stood in torrential rain on assignment for around 6 solid hours with a couple of Canon 1D MkII cameras and ‘L’ lenses. Although my Berghaus Gortex jacket leaked, the cameras carried on working perfectly and never gave any problems).

It’s fantastic having a full frame and fast drive camera, all in one. The 12 fps is just astonishing as is using the 14 fps (with mirror lock up – all of this at 18 megapixels). It’s something I have wished for, for years! The controls on the camera are new, with quite a few being fully programmable. The design and placement for all of these is pretty much spot on (the only problematic one perhaps being having the magnify button which is set low down, below the screen – perfect for reviewing stills, but is a problem for when shooting video and wanting to check focus beforehand (initially spotted by Dan Chung, with whom I’m in full agreement) – I’m sure by launch perhaps one of the more convenient buttons can be programmed via firmware to act as magnify if needed for video).

Shooting up to 51,200 ISO was just astonishing; extremely clean with accurate looking colours. Magnifying in to 100% on an 8000 ISO image made me double take as it looked clean enough to have been a 100 ISO shot! Absolutely amazing. I need to remind readers again though, these were all judged on a pre-production camera using the rear LCD screen.

The AF system is completely new and feels very responsive. The new modes and selection methods with overrides certainly impress.

Another hugely impressive fact is for video shooting the camera has a better file system and no longer drops lines when down sampling to HD. Another massively important addition is adjustable audio meters which display during shooting. Canon have stopped just short by not including a headphone jack. If the AV out port can stream during recording, then perhaps a headphone adapter could be fitted to monitor audio? Who knows!

As far as is the Canon EOS 1DX perfect, we shall have to wait and see. November 3rd is due to see a video product announcement by the company and the rumour sites are buzzing with the launch of the 5D MkIII some time next year.

This certainly seems like a perfect DSLR. Personally, I’d love (as would every single one of my colleagues) a lighter pro body, with a removable grip. Apart from this gripe, it really is an impressive DSLR and ticks almost every box. I can’t wait to test it out properly and see what it’s capable of, both in terms of stills and for video.

Test Images From The Fujifilm X100 At High ASA

I had the opportunity to have a quick play with the new Fuji X100 over dinner and took a series of images inside a dimly lit restaurant and it’s surroundings during Focus on Imaging in Birmingham. My full and proper review will follow once I get a review sample, but wanted to share a few images. These images can be found on my Flickr Page.

My day with one of the most exclusive digital cameras ever made

World Exclusive

There were rumours abound before Photokina 2010 about Leica bringing out a new camera; talk of an M9.2, a different digital M and even a digital body that would take the Leica R lenses. Well, the different digital M turned out to be right, but who would have thought it would be anything like the Leica M9 Titanium, or Titan as it’s also called?

I must admit to not being a big fan of the limited editions that companies produce; I’m a photographer and want tools which are reliable and produce the utmost in imaging quality. I’ve often sighed to myself when I’ve seen limited editions of the M6 or M8. My thoughts at the time were always the wish that Leica would stop concentrating on these and put all their energy into making a ‘proper’ digital rangefinder. For me, the M8 and M8.2 just didn’t cut it. Well, the M9 certainly does cut it and ever since reviewing it for the BJP at launch, I’ve been saving for my own M9 which I recently bought. Leica has changed a lot in recent years; fresh thinking has brought amazing products like the S2 and some stunning M optics as well as the wonderful M9. So, considering the current lineup, I didn’t sigh when I first saw pictures from the launch, but was rather intrigued.

The M9 Titanium though is an absolute departure from putting exclusive leathers and other materials onto the normal camera’s outer casings. Although it has an M9 at it’s heart, it has a completely a new casing, even down to the base plate. There is also some new technology in the viewfinder, more of which later. As it’s name suggests, the material is Titanium; tough and light – pretty much ideal for a camera. Every piece of exterior metal is made from solid Titanium and the body is covered in beautiful high grade leather.

So, what to do about designing the camera? Well, the answer surprisingly was to approach a car designer; to quote Leica:

“The exclusive special edition Leica M9 “Titanium” is the result of a collaboration with Walter de’Silva, the prominent automobile designer. Responsible for groundbreaking design concepts for the latest models from the Volkswagen Group, the chief designer and his Audi Design Team have re-interpreted the design of the LEICA M9 just as he envisaged it. The outcome is a unique camera with a new interpretation of the characteristic features of Leica rangefinder cameras, which lends precision engineering, unique style and solid titanium to extraordinary formal design.”

It may seem a strange thing to do as cars and cameras are so extremely different, but seeing the camera, I must say that the collaboration is an absolute success. In the pictures first released, the camera and lens looked good, but in real life, it looks and feels superb.

In the days of film, I used to have a Leica 35mm f1.4 Titanium lens – I must say I always loved the way it felt. Well, this camera takes that feeling and multiplies it many times over. I can’t think of anything that can make an M9 feel cheap, but the M9 Titanium does just that! As much as I admire the look and the feel of the camera, I also absolutely adore the lens. The ‘kit’ lens is Leica’s extraordinary Summilux-M 35mm f1.4 ASPH. This too is created using solid Titanium and also comes with a beautifully crafted Titanium lens hood, specifically made for the camera. Even the red Leica badge is custom made from resin and hand-engraved with enamel for the camera. There is also an interesting leather holster for the camera, which again was specifically designed and made for the camera. All of this is packaged up in the most beautiful of presentation boxes, including a gorgeously printed book showing the journey of the camera’s design, from concept to reality.

The good news for the collector is that there are only 500 of these to be made. As I mentioned earlier, this isn’t one of the ‘normal’ limited editions, but a completely new design of camera, in solid Titanium. Price of such exclusivity is £19,800.00. I’m not really a collector, so don’t know much about such things when looked at as investment, but to me, a completely unique camera does make investment sense. Now, if only I could win the Lottery!

In Use

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Leica UK and the Leica Store Mayfair, I was able to spend a day with the M9 Titanium. Naturally all the testing was done in the office; even if Leica would allow it, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking such an exclusive and irreplaceable camera out on the street. I need to add though that this camera isn’t part of the 500 but a pre-production proof of concept model; after all, the Leica Stores need to have cameras to show collectors before orders are placed. The one I used had the serial number 6.

In the hand, this camera really feels great. The weight and feel of the materials is just perfect. Aesthetically, I think, it works really beautifully, but the feel of the thing is also spot on. Every part of the body, and that gorgeous lens just work. It’s form, function and material in perfect harmony.

One of the first things I wanted to see were the new LED illumintaed frame lines in the viewfinder. Traditionally, these are bright-line overlays. In use, these have served me well for a decade; however, in very bright conditions where the subject has a very light coloured background, they can disappear. The M9 Titanium has a completely new system where LEDs are used for illuminating red frame lines. These are much easier to see; very crisp and accurate. It took a few minutes to get used to, but I think I would welcome this system in future M cameras. Aesthetically this removes the need for an illumination window on the front of the camera, adding to a cleaner look.

The limited edition Leica M9 Titanium. LED bright line frame lines. Unfortunately I couldn't photograph it showing the entire frame, so this image shows the bottom right hand corner. November 12, 2010. Photo: Edmond Terakopian

One thing which did surprise me was that the frame lines still showed the lens pairings as they have traditionally done, e.g. 28mm and 90mm. I was expecting that the system would show just one set of frames for the mounted lens. I guess though that this would need to read the 6-bit coding to differentiate between the lens pair. Perhaps in the evolution of the M line we shall see this function.

Looking at the outside, one thing which is absent is the manual frame-line selector lever. There are some die-hards on certain forums which mourn it’s loss, but I for one have never found a need for it. I already know the field of view a 50mm is going to give me compared to say a 28mm; the need for changing this manually before choosing lenses is, I think redundant. The M9 Titanium looks so much better and cleaner for not having it.

The Summilux-M 35mm f1.4 ASPH is a superb lens; the results just sing. To have it made from Titanium just makes it feel even better in the hand. It’s an absolute joy operating this camera, looking through that superb viewfinder and focusing this gem of a lens; it just feels absolutely spot on.

Apart from the material and design differences, it just handles like an M9; it just feels even better in the hand. I walked around the office taking portraits of some of the folks there and also some shots of the studio and other shots through an open window. I must admit that it’s the first time in my 21 years as a photographer that I’ve felt privileged using a particular camera; it was a real treat.

I think one of the obvious things is that this camera will probably never really be used as a photographic tool, but more of a collector’s piece. As a result, I’m looking at these ideas as concepts and not as real world suggestions for working with the camera. As concepts, they are very interesting. The holster is a new approach and is made beautifully out of very high grade leather. I for one would never use it in real life situations though.

The finger loops, which are metal and covered in leather (and come in two sizes) are slightly more usable. The very first time I held the camera (you insert two fingers through the loop), it felt strange but quickly became quite comfortable. With use, one acknowledges that it’s actually quite a neat system and very secure. I would probably opt for the included carrying strap though as I’m just used to having a camera on my shoulder. This new one sided mounting system does away with the traditional strap lugs at either side, again making for a very clean look.

Reality

I would love an M9 Titanium in black paint. I generally shy away from shiny cameras for my work. The less attention, the better considering some of the environments I work in. Titanium is wonderfully strong and light and is the perfect metal for these tools of ours. Alas, it’s expensive and harder to work with, needing special tooling. The M9 Titanium also has a special hard coating which is applied in Switzerland, so this camera, even if mass produced will never be cheap. Still, as a photographer, a black, or very dark and matt coloured Titanium Leica would be fabulous.

The current M9 Titanium is a thing of beauty. Everything about it is pure elegance; not just elegance though as it’s combined with absolute usability and stunning design which marries the aesthetic with the practical. As someone who prefers black, I can look at this camera and I still appreciate it’s gorgeous looks and even the colour. How good does it feel? Just think about my earlier comment that it makes the regular M9 feel cheap.

For a set of picture taken with and of the Leica M9 Titanium, please visit my Flickr page.